The Odyssey is a Greek epic by Homer. It was most likely written between the 6th and 8th centuries BC in Ionia, which is now Turkey. Having also written a prequel to The Odyssey titled The Iliad, Homer acheived a major role in Greek society as an oral historian and entertainer. His long epic poems were built on oral tales of past poems, and could almost be considered as "bibles" of Greek civilization.
This epic poem concerns Odysseus on his way home after the 10 year long Trojan War. During his equally long trip home, his son Telemachus and wife Penelope must deal with a group of unruly suitors who have moved in to compete for Penelope's hand, as Odysseus is assumed dead.
By the end of The Iliad, the Trojan War was finishing up. The Achaeans are tired of besieging Troy, as its giant walls seem undefeatable, and are ready to sail home, when Odysseus brings up a clever plan. The Achaeans hide a troop of soldiers within a large wooden horse, and leave it at the gates of Troy with a single soldier, while the rest of the soldiers sail away. To complete Odysseus' plan, the soldier explains that the Achaeans have incurred Athena's wrath, and leave the Horse as a tribute to appease her, hoping that the Trojans will destroy it and bring on her anger themselves. Believing him, the Trojans drag the Horse through the city to honor the goddess. When night falls, Odysseus and his soldiers climb out of the Trojan Horse and slaughter the soldiers and citizens of Troy. With the war in Troy now over, the Achaeans sail for home, and Oedipus for Ithaca.
The Trojan Horse
Prior Books
At the beginning of The Odyssey, Odysseus' son Telemachus is visited by the goddess Athena disguised as Odysseus' old friend Mentes. She tells him that Odysseus is still alive, and that Telemachus is to banish the suitors from his father's estate and to set out on a journey to Pylos and Sparta to ask for news of his father. He obliges, and after a couple of days, learns that his father was imprisoned by Calypso on her island Ogygia. The story switches to Odysseus, and after the gods have a meeting, and decide to help Odysseus. Hermes is sent and informs Calypso of Zeus' command that she let Odysseus go home. Out a sea with a new boat, a storm stirred up by Poseidon destroys his boat and nearly kills him, but the goddesses Ino and Athena help him get to the nearby island of the Phaeacians. Here, Odysseus impresses the king of the Phaeacians as well as his daughter, and tells them of his tales at a feast. The stories of how Odysseus lost his crew reluctantly slips out, including his adventures at Ismarus of the Ciclones, the island of the Lotus-eaters, and then how he incurred Poseidon's wrath by injuring the god's son Polyphemus the Cyclops.
Pallas Athena
Book 10
In The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea, Odysseus continues his tale at the table of the Phaeacian king. As Odysseus sailed away from Cyclops' island, he told them his name, and was cursed by Poseidon to sail the seas for 10 years before returning home. Odysseus' crew reached the island of Aeolia, home to Aeolus, keeper of the winds, and lived with him for a month, before Aeolus sends them toward their Ithaca with a bag of winds to help them on their journey. However, when they are in sight of Ithaca, Odysseus' crew grow curious of the bag's contents. Thinking Aeolus gave Odysseus treasure, they opened the bag, and the sudden release of all the strong winds quickly blows their ship back to Aeolia. This time, Aeolus refuses to help him as he believes a god has cursed Odysseus, and he sends them away. Next, Odysseus arrives at Telepylos, home of the Laestrygonians, but is forced to leave quickly as the giants ate and killed all of his crew except for his own ship. Sadly, they sail to Aeaea, home of Circe. After a brief encounter with the goddess in which she turns Odysseus' crew into pigs, Hermes shows up and helps Odysseus avoid her spell. In exchange for becoming Circe's lover, Odysseus asks her to change him men back to normal. Then they live with her for a year, feasting and drinking with the goddess and living well. However, as Odysseus still wants to go home, he asks her how to appease the gods in order for him to return to Ithaca. Reluctantly, she tells him that he must journey to the underworld to ask the ghost of Tiresias the seer for his help. The book ends with Odysseus' crew unhappily getting ready to embark, having just heard of their new destination.
Themes
A recurring theme in The Odyssey is that of cunning; using brain over brawn. It is clear Odysseus is quite astute, because both Athena and Zeus praise him for his wisdom when discussing his fate in Book 1. For example, when Odysseus' shipmates are turned into pigs by the sorceress Circe, he realizes that mere force cannot defeat her. Instead,he uses his brains and the herb that Hermes gives him to get on Circe's side. Through his wily strategy, Circe becomes a major abettor in helping them return home. Another example is when Odysseus tricks the Cyclps Polyphemus. Trapped, Odysseus knows that he cannot get out of the cave because the stone blocking it is too big. Instead, he develops a plan - in which he and his crew cling to the bottom of Polyphemus' sheep as they are let out to graze - to escape. Lastly, the tale of the Trojan Horse is very popular. It is known that Odysseus brainstormed this brilliant method of sneaking into Troy. Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus' wily intelligence saves him in various scenarios, and eventually helps him return home. A lesson that can be learned from this theme is that superior cunning will excel even when the odds are against it.
Characters
Aeolus - Aeolus is the master of all the winds and lives on the island of Aeolian. He gives Odysseus a bag full of winds. Antiphates - Antiphates is the king of the Laestrygonian giants. The Laestrygonians kill and eat many of Odysseus’ crew. Eurylochus - Eurylochus is a kin of Odysseus and holds the position of second in command on Odysseus' ship. He is the first one to sense a trap in Circe’s mansion. Hermes - Hermes is the son of Zeus and the messenger of the gods. He gives Odysseus a magical herb to that protects him from Circe's poison and spell. Tiresias - Tiresias is referred to as the blind prophet and the seer of Thebes. His ghost resides in the underworld.
The most influential character Odysseus meets in the book is the nymph Circe. She resides on the island of Aeaean and is referred to as the nymph with lovely braids. Circe begins the story with a negative influence on Odysseus. In her mansion, Circe captures his men “Once they’d drained the bowls she filled, suddenly she struck with her wand, drove them into her pigsties, all of them bristling into swine…” (237). Odysseus now must save his crewmen and delay his journey home. On his way to the mansion, he is visited by Hermes. Hermes warns Odysseus about Circe and gives him a magical herb to prevent her magic. This information and protection provides Odysseus with a clear advantage over Circe. After Odysseus drank from the bowl, Circe tries to curse him “’Now,’ she cried, ‘off to your sty, you swine, and wallow with your friends’ But I, I drew my sharp sword sheathed at my hip and rushed her fast as if to run her through - She screamed, slid under my blade, hugged my knees…” (240). Circe then becomes a beneficial influence on Odysseus. Circe informs Odysseus of what he must do next in order to return home. “’Circe, now make good a promise you gave me once- it’s time to help me home…’ ‘But first another journey calls. You must travel down to the House of Death and the awesome one, Persephone, there to consult the ghost of Tiresias, seer of Thebes…’” (245). In the end, Circe ends up being a positive influence on Odyssey and she provides information about how he might be able to return home.
Structure
In Media Res
Book 10 of The Odyssey begins in media res as compared to the rest of the story, because what happens in this book is all a part of Odysseus' story that he is telling to the Phaeacians. In media res means "in the middle of things" and is used to launch the reader directly into the middle of action in the book. When reading The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea, the reader feels as if he/she is going on the adventure with Odysseus instead of sitting at the table of the king of Phaeacia. Thus this literary device is used quite effectively.
Epithets
"But still they paused at her doors, the nymph with lovely braids, Circe..." (237). An epithet is a word or phrase used to describe a character - like an adjective, but it takes the place of that character. For example, in the above passage, "the nymph with lovely braids" describes Circe. In another passage, the epithet takes the place of Circe: "...I, just approaching the halls of Circe, my heart a heaving storm at every step, paused at her doors, the nymph with lovely braids - I stood and shouted to her there" (240). Again, "the nymph with lovely braids" describes Circe, but her name is not needed because the reader knows that this epithet will only describe her. This way of identifying character may seem strange, but it allows the author of the poem to fill a line or match the meter of the poem.
Odysseus threatening Circe
Epic Similes
An epic simile, also known as a Homeric simile (because of its use in Homer's works The Odyssey and The Iliad) is a comparison between two things using "like" or "as" that is very detailed and consists of several lines. These epic similes are similar to the ones commonly used in modern English, except that the comparisons are out of proportion, and what the object is being compared to generally has nothing to do with the story. An example is: "But they wouldn't attack my men; they just came pawing up around them, fawning, swishing their long tails - eager as hounds that fawn around their master, coming home from a feast" (237). In this epic simile, the animals that Circe had bewitched were fawning around Odysseus men like hounds that fawn around their master when he returns home. This literary device is useful so that the reader can better understand the text.
Geography
Island of Aeolian
Odyssey and his crew visit three different settings in Book Ten, The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea. They first land on the island of Aeolian which is surrounded by large, sheer cliffs. This island is the home of Aeolus and his twelve children and they live in a palace in a city on the island. The Book states, “We reached the Aeolian island next, the home of Aeolus, Hippotas’son, beloved by the gods who never die – a great floating island it was, and round it all huge ramparts rise of indestructible bronze and sheer rock cliffs shoot up from sea to sky” (230). This setting is significant because Aeolus, the master of the winds, sends Odyssey and his crew home. However, as they see the shores of their home before them, the crew opens the sack of winds Odyssey was given by Aeolus and they find themselves right back on the island of Aeolian. They once again leave but this time have no help from the wind and must row to their next destination.
Land of Laetrygonian
They find themselves next at the land of the Laetrygonian. Many of the ships go into the cove and anchor while Odyssey anchors his ship outside the harbor. “Here the rest of my rolling squadron steered, right into the gaping cove and moored tightly, prow by prow. Never a swell there, big or small; a milk-white calm spreads all around the place. But I alone anchored my black ship outside, well clear of the harbor’s jaws… “ (233). This becomes extremely significant because when the giants in the land attack the entire squadron is killed except for Odyssey and his crew.
Island of Aeanean
The final setting in Book Ten is the island of Aeanean. On this island, the crew goes to the palace of Circe. “Deep in the wooded glens they came on Circe’s palace built of dressed stone on a cleared rise of land. Mountain, wolves and lions were roaming around the grounds – she had bewitched them herself, she gave them magic drugs” (237). The palace becomes a significant setting because Odyssey saves the crew that had been turned into pigs by Circe. They then spend about a year living happily and feasting in the palace. They finally decide to leave but Circe sends them a journey to the House of Death.
Art and Architecture
Descriptions of temples can be found throughout the play, The Odyssey, by Homer. Temples built for the gods are described for example in Books 6, 10 and 12. The temples were often of marble and had tall columns.
Columns were a very important element in ancient Greek architecture. The Greeks built three different styles of columns. They were:
Doric – these were simple columns with a circle that was topped by a square.
Ionic – these were tall, slender columns with lines carved in them. The tops of the columns were decorated with scrolls.
Corinthian – these were the most decorated columns. They had scrolls at the top and then leaves and flowers underneath the scrolls.
Art was an important part of Ancient Greek culture. Two types of art were sculptures and pottery.
Pottery - Pottery during ancient Greece was very simple. The pots tended to be decorated with simple shapes and wavy lines. Black, white, red and yellow were frequently used colors. Figures depicting a story were sometimes painted on vases.
Sculptures - Sculptures played a significant role in Greek society. They were often made out of stone, marble or limestone. Sculptures were sculpted to show Greek heroes, gods, events and mythical creatures.
The Odyssey - Book 10
The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea
The Odyssey is a Greek epic by Homer. It was most likely written between the 6th and 8th centuries BC in Ionia, which is now Turkey. Having also written a prequel to The Odyssey titled The Iliad, Homer acheived a major role in Greek society as an oral historian and entertainer. His long epic poems were built on oral tales of past poems, and could almost be considered as "bibles" of Greek civilization.
This epic poem concerns Odysseus on his way home after the 10 year long Trojan War. During his equally long trip home, his son Telemachus and wife Penelope must deal with a group of unruly suitors who have moved in to compete for Penelope's hand, as Odysseus is assumed dead.
Synopsis
The Iliad
By the end of The Iliad, the Trojan War was finishing up. The Achaeans are tired of besieging Troy, as its giant walls seem undefeatable, and are ready to sail home, when Odysseus brings up a clever plan. The Achaeans hide a troop of soldiers within a large wooden horse, and leave it at the gates of Troy with a single soldier, while the rest of the soldiers sail away. To complete Odysseus' plan, the soldier explains that the Achaeans have incurred Athena's wrath, and leave the Horse as a tribute to appease her, hoping that the Trojans will destroy it and bring on her anger themselves. Believing him, the Trojans drag the Horse through the city to honor the goddess. When night falls, Odysseus and his soldiers climb out of the Trojan Horse and slaughter the soldiers and citizens of Troy. With the war in Troy now over, the Achaeans sail for home, and Oedipus for Ithaca.Prior Books
At the beginning of The Odyssey, Odysseus' son Telemachus is visited by the goddess Athena disguised as Odysseus' old friend Mentes. She tells him that Odysseus is still alive, and that Telemachus is to banish the suitors from his father's estate and to set out on a journey to Pylos and Sparta to ask for news of his father. He obliges, and after a couple of days, learns that his father was imprisoned by Calypso on her island Ogygia. The story switches to Odysseus, and after the gods have a meeting, and decide to help Odysseus. Hermes is sent and informs Calypso of Zeus' command that she let Odysseus go home. Out a sea with a new boat, a storm stirred up by Poseidon destroys his boat and nearly kills him, but the goddesses Ino and Athena help him get to the nearby island of the Phaeacians. Here, Odysseus impresses the king of the Phaeacians as well as his daughter, and tells them of his tales at a feast. The stories of how Odysseus lost his crew reluctantly slips out, including his adventures at Ismarus of the Ciclones, the island of the Lotus-eaters, and then how he incurred Poseidon's wrath by injuring the god's son Polyphemus the Cyclops.
Book 10
In The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea, Odysseus continues his tale at the table of the Phaeacian king. As Odysseus sailed away from Cyclops' island, he told them his name, and was cursed by Poseidon to sail the seas for 10 years before returning home. Odysseus' crew reached the island of Aeolia, home to Aeolus, keeper of the winds, and lived with him for a month, before Aeolus sends them toward their Ithaca with a bag of winds to help them on their journey. However, when they are in sight of Ithaca, Odysseus' crew grow curious of the bag's contents. Thinking Aeolus gave Odysseus treasure, they opened the bag, and the sudden release of all the strong winds quickly blows their ship back to Aeolia. This time, Aeolus refuses to help him as he believes a god has cursed Odysseus, and he sends them away. Next, Odysseus arrives at Telepylos, home of the Laestrygonians, but is forced to leave quickly as the giants ate and killed all of his crew except for his own ship. Sadly, they sail to Aeaea, home of Circe. After a brief encounter with the goddess in which she turns Odysseus' crew into pigs, Hermes shows up and helps Odysseus avoid her spell. In exchange for becoming Circe's lover, Odysseus asks her to change him men back to normal. Then they live with her for a year, feasting and drinking with the goddess and living well. However, as Odysseus still wants to go home, he asks her how to appease the gods in order for him to return to Ithaca. Reluctantly, she tells him that he must journey to the underworld to ask the ghost of Tiresias the seer for his help. The book ends with Odysseus' crew unhappily getting ready to embark, having just heard of their new destination.
Themes
A recurring theme in The Odyssey is that of cunning; using brain over brawn. It is clear Odysseus is quite astute, because both Athena and Zeus praise him for his wisdom when discussing his fate in Book 1. For example, when Odysseus' shipmates are turned into pigs by the sorceress Circe, he realizes that mere force cannot defeat her. Instead,he uses his brains and the herb that Hermes gives him to get on Circe's side. Through his wily strategy, Circe becomes a major abettor in helping them return home. Another example is when Odysseus tricks the Cyclps Polyphemus. Trapped, Odysseus knows that he cannot get out of the cave because the stone blocking it is too big. Instead, he develops a plan - in which he and his crew cling to the bottom of Polyphemus' sheep as they are let out to graze - to escape. Lastly, the tale of the Trojan Horse is very popular. It is known that Odysseus brainstormed this brilliant method of sneaking into Troy. Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus' wily intelligence saves him in various scenarios, and eventually helps him return home. A lesson that can be learned from this theme is that superior cunning will excel even when the odds are against it.
CharactersAeolus - Aeolus is the master of all the winds and lives on the island of Aeolian. He gives Odysseus a bag full of winds.
Antiphates - Antiphates is the king of the Laestrygonian giants. The Laestrygonians kill and eat many of Odysseus’ crew.
Eurylochus - Eurylochus is a kin of Odysseus and holds the position of second in command on Odysseus' ship. He is the first one to sense a trap in Circe’s mansion.
Hermes - Hermes is the son of Zeus and the messenger of the gods. He gives Odysseus a magical herb to that protects him from Circe's poison and spell.
Tiresias - Tiresias is referred to as the blind prophet and the seer of Thebes. His ghost resides in the underworld.
The most influential character Odysseus meets in the book is the nymph Circe. She resides on the island of Aeaean and is referred to as the nymph with lovely braids. Circe begins the story with a negative influence on Odysseus. In her mansion, Circe captures his men “Once they’d drained the bowls she filled, suddenly she struck with her wand, drove them into her pigsties, all of them bristling into swine…” (237). Odysseus now must save his crewmen and delay his journey home. On his way to the mansion, he is visited by Hermes. Hermes warns Odysseus about Circe and gives him a magical herb to prevent her magic. This information and protection provides Odysseus with a clear advantage over Circe. After Odysseus drank from the bowl, Circe tries to curse him “’Now,’ she cried, ‘off to your sty, you swine, and wallow with your friends’ But I, I drew my sharp sword sheathed at my hip and rushed her fast as if to run her through - She screamed, slid under my blade, hugged my knees…” (240). Circe then becomes a beneficial influence on Odysseus. Circe informs Odysseus of what he must do next in order to return home. “’Circe, now make good a promise you gave me once- it’s time to help me home…’ ‘But first another journey calls. You must travel down to the House of Death and the awesome one, Persephone, there to consult the ghost of Tiresias, seer of Thebes…’” (245). In the end, Circe ends up being a positive influence on Odyssey and she provides information about how he might be able to return home.
Structure
In Media Res
Book 10 of The Odyssey begins in media res as compared to the rest of the story, because what happens in this book is all a part of Odysseus' story that he is telling to the Phaeacians. In media res means "in the middle of things" and is used to launch the reader directly into the middle of action in the book. When reading The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea, the reader feels as if he/she is going on the adventure with Odysseus instead of sitting at the table of the king of Phaeacia. Thus this literary device is used quite effectively.
Epithets
"But still they paused at her doors, the nymph with lovely braids, Circe..." (237). An epithet is a word or phrase used to describe a character - like an adjective, but it takes the place of that character. For example, in the above passage, "the nymph with lovely braids" describes Circe. In another passage, the epithet takes the place of Circe: "...I, just approaching the halls of Circe, my heart a heaving storm at every step, paused at her doors, the nymph with lovely braids - I stood and shouted to her there" (240). Again, "the nymph with lovely braids" describes Circe, but her name is not needed because the reader knows that this epithet will only describe her. This way of identifying character may seem strange, but it allows the author of the poem to fill a line or match the meter of the poem.
Epic Similes
An epic simile, also known as a Homeric simile (because of its use in Homer's works The Odyssey and The Iliad) is a comparison between two things using "like" or "as" that is very detailed and consists of several lines. These epic similes are similar to the ones commonly used in modern English, except that the comparisons are out of proportion, and what the object is being compared to generally has nothing to do with the story. An example is: "But they wouldn't attack my men; they just came pawing up around them, fawning, swishing their long tails - eager as hounds that fawn around their master, coming home from a feast" (237). In this epic simile, the animals that Circe had bewitched were fawning around Odysseus men like hounds that fawn around their master when he returns home. This literary device is useful so that the reader can better understand the text.
Geography
Island of Aeolian
Odyssey and his crew visit three different settings in Book Ten, The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea. They first land on the island of Aeolian which is surrounded by large, sheer cliffs. This island is the home of Aeolus and his twelve children and they live in a palace in a city on the island. The Book states, “We reached the Aeolian island next, the home of Aeolus, Hippotas’son, beloved by the gods who never die – a great floating island it was, and round it all huge ramparts rise of indestructible bronze and sheer rock cliffs shoot up from sea to sky” (230). This setting is significant because Aeolus, the master of the winds, sends Odyssey and his crew home. However, as they see the shores of their home before them, the crew opens the sack of winds Odyssey was given by Aeolus and they find themselves right back on the island of Aeolian. They once again leave but this time have no help from the wind and must row to their next destination.Land of Laetrygonian
They find themselves next at the land of the Laetrygonian. Many of the ships go into the cove and anchor while Odyssey anchors his ship outside the harbor. “Here the rest of my rolling squadron steered, right into the gaping cove and moored tightly, prow by prow. Never a swell there, big or small; a milk-white calm spreads all around the place. But I alone anchored my black ship outside, well clear of the harbor’s jaws… “ (233). This becomes extremely significant because when the giants in the land attack the entire squadron is killed except for Odyssey and his crew.Island of Aeanean
The final setting in Book Ten is the island of Aeanean. On this island, the crew goes to the palace of Circe. “Deep in the wooded glens they came on Circe’s palace built of dressed stone on a cleared rise of land. Mountain, wolves and lions were roaming around the grounds – she had bewitched them herself, she gave them magic drugs” (237). The palace becomes a significant setting because Odyssey saves the crew that had been turned into pigs by Circe. They then spend about a year living happily and feasting in the palace. They finally decide to leave but Circe sends them a journey to the House of Death.Art and Architecture
Descriptions of temples can be found throughout the play, The Odyssey, by Homer. Temples built for the gods are described for example in Books 6, 10 and 12. The temples were often of marble and had tall columns.
Columns were a very important element in ancient Greek architecture. The Greeks built three different styles of columns. They were:
Doric – these were simple columns with a circle that was topped by a square.
Ionic – these were tall, slender columns with lines carved in them. The tops of the columns were decorated with scrolls.
Corinthian – these were the most decorated columns. They had scrolls at the top and then leaves and flowers underneath the scrolls.
Art was an important part of Ancient Greek culture. Two types of art were sculptures and pottery.
Pottery - Pottery during ancient Greece was very simple. The pots tended to be decorated with simple shapes and wavy lines. Black, white, red and yellow were frequently used colors. Figures depicting a story were sometimes painted on vases.
Sculptures - Sculptures played a significant role in Greek society. They were often made out of stone, marble or limestone. Sculptures were sculpted to show Greek heroes, gods, events and mythical creatures.
Bibliography
Pictures
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2394/2225124720_cd04533ff6.http://0.tqn.com/d/ancienthistory/1/0/P/g/2/363px-Circe_Offering_the_Cup_to_Odysseus.jpg
http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/greek-pottery/images/greek-pottery-4.jpg
http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webunits/greecerome/images/columns.jpeg
http://www.sigmabooks.gr/images/mapEurope_Argonauts_small/jason_argonauts_circes_island.jpg
Content
http://www.historyforkids.orghttp://www.ancientgreece.com
http://www.sparknotes.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey